I recently discovered the trojan “explorer.exe” on my machine (XP-512MB RAM-Intel Processor-1.8 Ghz). It was in a hidden directory “dllcache” masquerading as a dll, but in fact a trojan program called “explorer.exe”. After a lot of research, I was able to delete it. For research I used: Microsoft, computing.net, Expert Exchange, Panda Software, PC Tools, to name the primary resources. Then using Registry Mechanic, I got rid of extra registry entries. Ran another search tonight and was able to delete 2 invisible “inf” files. In Zone Alarm I now have blocked across the board: “run a dll as an app”.
So I now have several questions:
1. Internet Explorer still doesn’t run correctly (though is my PC ever fast now). I open the real explorer.exe (in C:\Windows) and it’s like I opened “My Computer”. I have listed from top-down: Desktop, My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places… There is an address bar at the top of the window, but it just lists the contents of my computer. How do I reset explorer.exe “verizon.msn.com” to be the default website when I open IE? How do I get the real IE to operate like IE?
2. According to what I read, the trojan came in a bundle. But the bundle isn’t working anymore and I received this trojan about 4-6 months ago. Dormat except for the last 12 weeks? I want to have Internet Explorer back, just not the trojan version. How do I configure it correctly?
3. Thankfully I also use Firefox.
4. Some anti-virus software don’t consider it a trojan. I do. It had control. And when I started to discover the truth about it, the harder explorer.exe ran from me.
5. When I shut down, I want the IE user not to get lost in the files/drives I already have on the computer, but have continual access to the Internet through my router and DSL modem.
6. Where and how do I now make http://verizon.msn.com my homepage? After speaking with 8 different people, I ended up back at Verizon Billing and no answers.
7. Since I actually don?t know how I got this installed, I don?t know how to prevent it from happening again? Ideas?
8. Without my knowledge or desire, could I have sent this trojan to others through email?
